


Signed and Sealed

by morningeve



Category: Firefly, Serenity (2005)
Genre: Family, Gen, Post-Serenity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-21
Updated: 2013-01-21
Packaged: 2017-11-26 09:38:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 783
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/649186
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/morningeve/pseuds/morningeve
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the events of Serenity have blown over, Simon entrusts a letter addressed to his parents to the Operative.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Signed and Sealed

Dear Father and Mother,

I assume that if this letter reaches you, then the enemy I once faced has turned into a questionable ally. I also assume that you now know parts of the truth that was hidden by the Alliance. You know of the planet Miranda and the origin of the Reavers.

I also assume that you know I have River.

I am sure that the Alliance gave you grief when the two of us disappeared. I am grateful that they have not harmed your well-being in any way, or so my temporary ally informs me. You must know by now that I am –in the eyes of the law- not a Tam by blood, only by name. The contacts I had were able to forge files of you disowning me –a legal battle in which neither of you wanted nothing to do with me and my “paranoia”- cutting me off from your will, taking away my share of the inheritance. I do not need it; I have no use for it anyway. You have to understand that I did it for your protection. I had no doubts the Alliance would come after you in some way. My contacts have done their job well in keeping their eyes out for you and for that, I am eternally indebted.

I was right about River, about what could be happening to her. The Academy is not a school; it is a lab. As we all know, River is gifted. The Academy –the Alliance- saw that and they tried to make her more gifted, turn her into the heartless soldier that she can never be, fracture her mind into pieces –unable to comprehend simple emotion one at a time. It’s all a flood to her now, thoughts, emotions, other people’s minds. They made her a powerful, but broken, Reader.

That’s what the Alliance did, father, mother. They turned your beautiful River into a girl who is half-child, half-River. Who cries at night because she can see the horrors in the heads of the Alliance men that visited her, all their secrets. Secrets like Miranda.

I can sense your doubt and disbelief of the truth I am telling you. Or maybe you do not wish to believe because it is easier not to. But trust me when I say to you that I saw what they did to her with my own eyes and if you wish to, the messenger can show you exactly what I saw when I rescued her.

River and I are safe, for now. We never stay in the same place for long. We have found ourselves a ship, with a nice crew –although the connotation of “nice” is somewhat questionable. But it’s a family and we did get off to a rough start, but I think that recent events have shined a light on River’s assets and our loyalties. The Tam honor is still intact, father.

We will probably never meet again. The Alliance will stand for the rest of our lifetimes and while it does, River and I will never be safe. There will always be people after us. The crew of Serenity understands this. They protect us, we protect them. Family, as I said. But father… mother… I cannot bear the thought of harm coming to you and I fear that River would break if something were to happen. Do not attempt contact. We will return when we return, if ever at all.

Mother, you once asked me if I would throw away what I had for River. You have your answer. She is my sister and I needed no other reason. This isn’t the life I imagined for myself all those years ago sitting at home and telling stories with River. I did have ambitions to be at the head of my field. I saw River as a bright young woman, excelling at whatever career she chose. I didn’t see us as fugitives; I didn’t see us out of the Core, living in a spaceship. But I knew the consequences the moment I began formulating. The cost was worth the benefit.

It hasn’t been all in vain. I’m the ship’s medic. I’ve saved plenty of lives in the Outer Rim. My experiences out here have reinforced why I wanted to be a doctor to begin. Human life is a fragile flower and we must preserve it the best we can. I’ve also found love and she is a whole different flower in herself.

River sends her love and a kiss. She asks me to tell you that she does not blame you for what has happened or for not believing the letters.

I love you both.

Your son,


End file.
